Improvement in temporary binders



T. ORTON. TEMPORARY-BINDER.

Patented July 17, 1877.

Nvo.

l PETERS. Pucro urnoenAP WMM-Mmmm www. l,

UNITED Sftnsriss.Y

THOMAS ORTON, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

-IMPROYEMENT IN TEMPORARY BINDERS..

l Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 193, H28, dated July 17, 1877; application tiled,

April 1e, 1877.

To all whom` itmay concern Be it known that 1, THOMAS ORTON, of Chicago, inthe county of Cook andi State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Im,- provements in Letter and Postal-Card Indexing Files, which are fully set forth in the fol,- lowing specication, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 represents a plan view of my invention, with the case partly open; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same, taken on theline a: Fig. 1;. Fig. 3, a perspective view of an index of peculiar construction; Fig. 4, a detail view, showing-a part of one sheet of the same; and Fig. 5, a plan view of an index-sheet for postal cards.

The object of myinvention is to combine a loose index for letters with an inclosing-case, which may be shut up at pleasure for the protection of the contents.

My invention consists in a case of peculiar construction, adapted to receive and hold a series of loose index-sheets for letters, which opens out upon one side and edge for conven- `ience of removing and inserting the papers to be filed, and may be entirely closed up for the protection of the papers within.

It also consists in a peculiar device for fastenin g the index-sheets within the case.

It also consists in a special construction of the index by uniting the sheets in a peculiar manner, so as to provide the index with an extensible back.

It also consists in an index-sheet adapted to receive and hold postal-cards; and it further consists lin various combinations of devices, all of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings, A represents a case or box, which is made something like a book in form and appearance. One side of the case a is hinged to the back, so as to be opened outward, the hinge being located a little distance from the outer edge, so as to leave a fixed strip, a', outside of it. The front edge B of the case is hinged at its lower edge to the permanent side of the case, so as to open outward, as shown in Fig. l and in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The outer edge of the cover is constructed with a narrow strip, b, which projects downward, so as to fit over the upper edge of the front piece B, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Similar projectingstrips b', or flanges,

-are also arranged on the ends of the cover,"

fer to make them of double., sheets Without cutting, each sheet carrying anindex-letter,r

as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. When the index is made up of double sheets, like these, they are secured within the case by cords D, which are attached to the lower or permanent side of the case, the index-sheets have holes c punched in them, through which the cords D are passed, and the latter are then passed up through holes in the fixed strip a', upon the outside of which they are tied, as shown in Figs. l and 2 of the draw- 1ngs. Y

The letters and other papers to be filed away are slipped in loosely between the indexsheets,being arranged under the proper indexletter. They can, therefore, be filed with the greatest facility, and removed for examination at any time, without danger of injury, While, at the same time, by closing up the case, they are securely protected from loss and derangement.

The index-sheets may also be connected together but it must be done in such a manner as to make the back extensible. This I accomplish by first making the folded sheets E in pairs. A notch, e, is then cut in the folded edge, a short distance from each end, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, and the folded edge is split between the notches. One ofthe flaps, 1, of one pair is then connected to the contiguous ap 2 of the next pair by any suitable means, preferably a bit of cloth or strong paper, F, embracing the two 'and pasted to each.

It will thus be seen that the pairs still remain' united at the ends, while along the middle .portion they are spliced one to the other, so

, or stitch, in which case a small piece of thin metal or wood should be fastened upon the outside of the outer leaves at the punctures to prevent tearing.

For filing postal cards anindex-strip, G, is provided with inclined slits g, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the slits bein g arranged so as to secure the corners of a postal card, H, and being also arranged alternately upon the sheet, so that the postal cards will slightly overlap each other, as shown `in Fig. 5 of the drawings. This sheet may be made without an index-letter, if desired, and the cards are then arranged by the same letter on the sheet, when the latter may be slipped in withletters in the ordinary index shown in Fig. 1.

[n addition to the advantages already mentioned it is evident that this index-file may be used until the case is entirely filled, and then the case and contents may be put away upon the shelf `with books or elsewhere, the contents being protected from all injury, while accessible for examination whenever desired.

If desired, the case may be made with open ends and front, like book-covers.

I do not connue myself to the precise construction of index herein shown and described, for it may be changed without departing from the principle of my invention, so long as it is used in the inclosing-case.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Anindex constructed from folded sheets E, slit at the backs, and having the alternate aps united thereby, forming an extensible or chain back, substantially as described.

2. An indexing-file composed wholly or in part of sheets slitted to receive postal cards, whereby the latter may be led under the appropriate index, and in connection with let ters, if desired, substantially as described.

3. A postal-card sheet for indexing-files, provided with slits arranged with right and left offsets, as described and shown, whereby the cards may be attached to the sheet so as to overlap each other in both directions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

THOMAS ORTON.

Witnesses L. A. BUNTING, M. M. DILLoN. 

